ADSL and Gibraltar (the place, not the firewall)

December 24, 2006 3:54 PM

Problems configuring a modem/router in Gibraltar

I am visiting family in Gibraltar and trying to help set up a new router (with built-in modem). The home has functioning ADSL (which I'm using to post this), currently using a USB modem. The router connects to the computer via Ethernet cable.

I can't get online via the router's modem. There seem to be two problems:

1) I can't find the ADSL parameters for Gibraltar (the CD that came with the router does not have a file for Gibraltar, the info sheet that came from the ISP does not have all the info that I apparently need, and searches on Google get lots of hits concerning the firewall of the same name).

2) PPPoE does not seem to work with the settings that I have (I have tried to connect via the PC in question and also with my MacBook Pro that I brought with me, and each time I make any progress, it says that a PPPoE connection could not be established).

Does anyone have the ADSL parameters for Gibraltar handy? Is the PPPoE issue something to do with the first issue, a limitation with respect to DSL from this ISP (Sapphire) or something else?

Please excuse my ignorance. Thank you in advance for any help given. The router, btw, is made by corega.

Calling the ISP would be the best starting point, but it's Christmas and I don't think we'll reach anyone anytime soon.

posted by sueinnyc to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Is it definitely PPPoE and not PPPoA?
posted by speranza at 5:07 PM on December 24, 2006

First of, check to see if there are any low pass filters on the line you are trying to use. If there is a filter, take it out of the circuit, before trying to connect the router to the ADSL line. When you connect the router, it should go through a POST and indicate if it is getting ADSL carrier; if you can't see these status lights, the ADSL line may not yet have been provisioned if this is new service, and you'll need to coordinate with the telco for turn up of the service. If the service was working with the USB modem, scratch all this, and look to see if the settings for the line can be retrieved from the USB modem connection document in Windows.

The Sapphire Web site is completely uninformative regarding settings, but says that a CD based software self-install kit is routinely provided with the USB modem. It would probably make sense to review those materials for protocol information (PPPoA being a common choice for single modem provisioning, and PPPoE being typical for lines provisioned for router based LANs) and PPP login/authentication information, as the PPP link (regardless of physical layer) can't normally come up until authentication is completed. Of course, the physical layer protocols used must match, before any authentication can be accomplished, but you'll do no damage to the gear electrically, trying first one and then the other. But, depending on the authentication means on the ISP colocated equipment, ports maybe disabled, temporarily or until remotely reset, to protect against password guessing schemes.

And I'd try the ISP by phone anyway. Somebody is there in their operations center, I bet. Lots of people still get new ISP service as a Christmas present, too.
posted by paulsc at 5:51 PM on December 24, 2006

Seconding what paulsc said, but maybe in a different way: if you don't have "sync" - basically a carrier signal - on the modem, nothing is going to work.

In many self-install kits, part of the process is provisioning the modem's MAC address onto the network. With a large ISP, that can be done without calling the ISP - the "wizard" takes you through that step. But with smaller ISPs, you often need to call them to get that done.
And I agree with paulsc about removing any filters from the line but I'd go a step further and disconnect any other phones from the line while you test.
posted by disclaimer at 9:09 PM on December 24, 2006